Internal combustion engine

ABSTRACT

An engine block centrally journalling a crank shaft having a swash plate coaxially mounted thereon with E-vane shaped pistons engaging the periphery of the swash plate and reciprocating in a transversely divided chamber forming dual combustion chambers. A removable valve-in-head chamber head equipped with overhead cams covers the respective engine block chamber with the head being provided with transfer ports for communication between combustion and intake areas of the chamber. Spur gears, connected with the crank shaft and cam shafts, open and close intake, exhaust and transfer port valves.

Oct. 7, 1975 123/58 AB 123/58 R X United States Patent [191 Hom et a1.

[ INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE [76] Inventors: Hawkins Hom; Rene S. Hom, both of 818 Morningside Dr., Millbrae, Calif: 94030 Primary Examiner-Charles J. Myhre Assistant ExaminerWilliam C. Anderson July 1974 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-R0bert K. Rhea [22] Filed:

[21] Appl. No.: 491,864

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U.S. Patent Oct. 7,1975 Sheet 1 of3 3,910,242

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INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to internal combustion engines and more particularly to an engine having E- shaped pistons reciprocating in transversely divided chambers and acting on a swash plate for rotating the crank shaft.

In a four-cycle internal combustion engine fuel is burned and power applied to the load on only the power stroke of the piston with the other three strokes, intake, compression and exhaust being necessary to generate the power stroke which is an inefficient system of producing power.

This invention contemplates employing a piston plate having vanes reciprocating in a transversely divided piston chamber wherein a power stroke is generated and utilized on opposite sides of the central piston vane thereby doubling the power strokes of a four-cycle engine.

2. Description of the prior art.

We do not known of any patents disclosing this type of internal combustion engine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An elongated engine block is provided with longitudinally extending piston chambers, including a valve equipped chamber head overlying the respective piston chamber with the piston chambers open toward the central portion of the block. A pair of spaced-apart partitions transversely divides each piston chamber to form a fuel mixture chamber at each of its end portions and a central combustion chamber. A piston plate, reciprocably supported by the engine block, closes the piston chamber inward opening. Vanes, laterally connected with the piston plate at its ends and medial portion, forms an E-shape, in longitudinal section, with the endmost vane of the E-shape disposed within the respective fuel mixture chamber and the central vane forming a piston head interposed between the partitions. A crank shaft, centrally joumalled by the engine block, is coaxially connected with a swash plate having its periphery rotatably connected with the respective piston plate medially its ends for reciprocating the piston plates. A cam shaft, overlying and supported by the respective chamber head, is driven by spur gears interconnecting the respective cam shaft with the crank shaft for opening and closing the valves in predetermined sequence. Transfer ports, longitudinally formed in the respective chamber head, provide communication between the respective fuel mixture chamber and combustion chamber. Spark plugs, supported by the engine block in communication with respective end portions of each combustion chamber, are electrically connected with a source of electrical energy through a distributor. Conventional carburetor means is connected with the respective fuel mixture intake port.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a four-cycle internal combustion engine generating a power stroke at each end of a combustion chamber on opposing sides of a vane-type piston head for increasing the power output of the engine.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the engine;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view;

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary vertical cross sectional view, to a larger scale, taken substantially along the line 5-5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary vertical cross sectional view taken substantially along the line 66 of FIG. 5; and,

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary partially exploded perspective view, to another scale, of a piston chamber forming engine block, chamber head and E-shaped piston connected with a crank shaft and swash plate.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Like characters of reference designate like parts in those figures of the drawings in which they occur.

In the drawings:

The reference numeral 10 indicates the engine, as a whole, which is substantially elongated rectangular in overall configuration. The numeral 12 generally indi cates a multiple component engine block held in assembled relation by forward and rearward end plates 14 and 16, respectively. In the example shown, the engine block 12 is composed of a plurality, four in the example shown, substantially L-shaped in cross section, block bodies 18 arranged in right angular relation about a common center and including chamber heads 20 for defining piston chambers 22 (FIG. 4) extending longitudinally of the block, between the end plates, with the chambers open toward the central portion of the engine block. The inwardly directed end portion of each block body leg 23 is provided with lugs 24 for reciprocably supporting a rabbeted edge piston plate 26 of less length than the spacing between the end walls 14 and 16 which completes the respective piston chamber 22. Each of the piston chambers are transversely divided by a pair of spaced-apart walls or partitions 28 and 30 defining fuel mixture chambers 32 and 34 at the respective rearward and forward end portions of the piston chamber and a central compression and firing chamber 36 between the partitions 28 and 30. Each piston plate is provided with a plurality of vanes 38, and 42 which project laterally of the piston plate to form a substantially E-shaped piston, as viewed in longitudinal section (FIG. 3). The endmost vanes 38 and 40 are respectively reciprocated in the fuel mixture chambers 32 and 34 while the central vane 42 forms a piston head reciprocable within the combustion chamber 36.

The end plates 14 and 16 centrally journal a crank shaft 44 by bearings 46. A swash plate 48 is coaxially secured to the crank shaft 44 with its peripheral surface rotatably received between bearings 50 supported by lugs 52 centrally formed, in longitudinal spaced relation, on the adjacent surface of the respective piston plate 26 medially its ends so that angular rotation of the crank shaft reciprocates the E-shaped piston.

Each of the chamber heads 20 are provided at their respective end portions with a pair of intake ports 54, only one being shown (FIG. 4), communicating with a port 56 formed in the leg 23 of the block body 18 and communicating with an intake manifold 58 connected with a conventional carburetor 60 by tubing 61. The intake ports 54 open into the respective fuel mixture chamber 32 and 34. Each chamber head is further provided with a pair of longitudinally extending transfer ports 62 and 64 opening at their respective ends into the respective fuel mixture chambers 32 and 34 and respective adjacent end portions of the combustion chamber 36. Two exhaust ports 66, only one being shown (FIGS. 4 and 5), are formed in each chamber head 20 in communication, at one end, with the respective end portions of the combustion chamber 36 on opposing sides of the piston head 42 and communicating at their other ends with an exhaust manifold 68. Intake ports, transfer port and exhaust port and exhaust port spring urged valves 70, 72 and 74, respectively, open and close the respective intake, transfer and exhaust ports. Obviously, suitable seals are provided between cooperating stationary and sliding components where needed.

A substantially conventional cam shaft 76 longitudinally overlies and is supported by each chamber head 20 and is connected, at one end portion, with a driven spur gear 78 meshing with a drive spur gear 80 coaxially secured to the forward end portion of the crank shaft 44. Each cam shaft 76 is provided with a plurality of cams for opening and closing the intake and exhaust valves 70 and 74 and for operating rocker arms 82 opening and closing the transfer port valves 72. A substantially conventional distributor 84, preferably driven by the crank shaft or by a cam shaft, as shown (FIG. 4), is connected by wiring 86 with a source of electrical energy, such as a battery and coil, not shown. A pair of conventional spark plugs 88 and 90, connected with the distributor by spark plug wires 87, are supported by the respective block body 18 in communication with respective end portions of the combustion chamber 36 on opposing sides of the piston head 42.

A V-belt drive pulley 92 is connected with the end portion of the crank shaft opposite the spur gear 80.

OPERATION With the engine assembled, as described hereinabove, it is started by rotating the crank shaft 44 which reciprocates the top and bottom piston plates 26 in a to and fro action, as viewed in FIG. 3. The action of the right hand end portion of the upper E-shaped piston (FIG. 3) will be described as an example. As the piston vane 40 moves to the right away from the partition 30 vacuum pull is generated between adjacent faces of the vane 40 and partition 30 so that fuel mixture is drawn into the fuel mixing chamber 34 through the intake valve 70 while simultaneously movement of the piston head 42 toward the partition 30 exhausts any gas within the combustion chamber 36 between the piston head 42 and partition 30 through the exhaust valve 74. When the piston head 42 reaches the limit of its movement toward the partition 40 the transfer port valve 72 opens so that as the piston head 42 is moved to the left toward the partition 28 fuel mixture in the chamber 34 is transferred into the chamber 36 in that area between the piston head 42 and partition 30 so that as the piston head 42 reaches the position shown in FIG. 3 the transfer port valves 72 close and the piston head moves to the right toward the partition 30 so that the fuel mix ture is compressed between the piston head 42 and partition 30 communicating with the spark plug 90 which left hand end portion, of the lowermost E-shaped piston shown in FIG. 3 which is fired by its associated spark plug 88.

Action of the vanes and partition, at the respective opposite end portion of each piston chamber, is equal and opposite resulting in a firing stroke applying torque simultaneously to a diametrically opposite points of the swash plate.

Obviously the invention is susceptible to changes or alterations without defeating its practicability, therefore, we do not wish to be confined to the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings and described herein.

We claim: 1. A four-cycle internal combustion engine, comprising:

an elongated engine block having end walls and substantially coextensive opposed piston chambers axially parallel with the block axis and having a chamber head forming one wall of the respective piston chamber; a pair of spaced-apart partitions transversely dividing each piston chamber to form a central combustion chamber and a fuel mixture chamber at its respective ends, the piston chambers being open toward the central portion of said block; piston means comprising a base plate of less length than said block and reciprocably supported thereby in piston chamber closing relation, said base plate being provided with lateral vanes to form an E-shaped piston with the endmost vanes of the E-shape disposed within the respective fuel mixture chamber and the central vane forming a piston plate interposed between said partitions and successively forming a compression and exhaust chamber adjacent the respective said partition as said piston plate is reciprocated; a crank shaft centrally journalled by said end walls; swash plate means connecting said crank shaft with the respective said piston base plate for reciprocating the latter, each said chamber head having an exhaust port communicating with the combustion chamber adjacent the respective said partition and having an intake port communicating with the respective fuel mixture chamber,

each said chamber having a pair of transfer ports providing communication between the respec tive fuel mixture chamber and that end portion of the combustion chamber remote from the respective fuel mixture chamber;

valve means normally closing the respective chamber head ports;

carburetor means connected with each intake port;

cam shaft means supported by each said chamber head and drivably connected with said crank shaft for opening and closing said valve means in a predetermined sequence;

a spark plug supported by said engine block in communication with the combustion chamber on opposing sides of said piston plate and adjacent the respective said partition; and,

ignition means including a distributor and wiring connecting a source of electrical energy with said spark plugs.

2. The engine according to claim 1 in which said swash plate means includes:

a swash plate connected with said crank medially the length of said block, each said piston base plate having a pair of longitudinally spaced-apart lugs formed thereon medially its width for nesting a peripheral portion of said swash plates therebetween; and,

a bearing interposed between each lug of said pairs of lugs and the respective adjacent face surface of said swash plate.

3. The engine according to claim 2 in which the surface of said chamber head defining the piston chamber end of the respective port forms a valve seat and said valve means includes:

a valve having a head seating and unseating on the respective said valve seat, 

1. A four-cycle internal combustion engine, comprising: an elongated engine block having end walls and substantially coextensive opposed piston chambers axially parallel with the block axis and having a chamber head forming one wall of the respective piston chamber; a pair of spaced-apart partitions transversely dividing each piston chamber to form a central combustion chamber and a fuel mixture chamber at its respective ends, the piston chambers being open toward the central portion of said block; piston means comprising a base plate of less length than said block and reciprocably supported thereby in piston chamber closing relation, said base plate being provided with lateral vanes to form an Eshaped piston with the endmost vanes of the E-shape disposed within the respective fuel mixture chamber and the central vane forming a piston plate interposed between said partitions and successively forming a compression and exhaust chamber adjacent the respective said partition as said piston plate is reciprocated; a crank shaft centrally journalled by said end walls; swash plate means connecting said crank shaft with the respective said piston base plate for reciprocating the latter, each said chamber head having an exhaust port communicating with the combustion chamber adjacent the respective said partition and having an intake port communicating with the respective fuel mixture chamber, each said chamber having a pair of transfer ports providing communication between the respective fuel mixture chamber and that end portion of the combustion chamber remote from the respective fuel mixture chamber; valve means normally closing the respective chamber head ports; carburetor means connected with each intake port; cam shaft means supported by each said chamber head and drivably connected with said crank shaft for opening and closing said valve means in a predetermined sequence; a spark plug supported by said engine block in communication with the combustion chamber on opposing sides of said piston plate and adjacent the respective said partition; and, ignition means including a distributor and wiring connecting a source of electrical energy with said spark plugs.
 2. The engine according to claim 1 in which said swash plate means includes: a swash plate connected with said crank medially the length of said block, each said piston base plate having a pair of longitudinally spaced-apart lugs formed thereon medially its width for nesting a peripheral portion of said swash plates therebetween; and, a bearing interposed between each lug of said pairs of lugs and the respective adjacent face surface of said swash plate.
 3. The engine according to claim 2 in which the surface of said chamber head defining the piston chamber end of the respective port forms a valve seat and said valve means includes: a valve having a head seating and unseating on the respective said valve seat, said valve having a stem portion slidably supported by the respective said chamber head; and, a valve spring surrounding said valve stem and normally biasing said valve toward a port closed position.
 4. The engine according to claim 3 in which said cam shaft means includes: a cam shaft; a driven spur gear coaxially connected to one end portion of said cam shaft; a driving spur gear coaxially connected to one end portion of said crank shaft in mesh with said driven spur gear; and, cams on said cam shaft in contact with said valve stems. 